John Micklos Jr. Writer

As did many self-employed people, I found 2020 challenging. Some of the educational publishers I work with postponed new series because of the uncertain school market for books. My school visits were cancelled (although I did start doing Zoom visits in the fall). All in all, it was a difficult year, but I count myself blessed that I remained healthy—as did all of my immediate family.

And after the storm comes the rainbow—literally in my case. I have a new picture book titled Raindrops to Rainbow coming out from Penguin Workshop on March 2, 2021. In simple rhyming text, Raindrops to Rainbow tells a color-focused story about a young girl who experiences a thunderstorm and learns that only after a little rain can we see the rainbow. The girl is initially disappointed to be stuck inside on a rainy day. Her mother helps her make the best of it, and eventually they get to go outside, splash in puddles, and enjoy a rainbow’s beauty together.

Whereas One Leaf, Two Leaves, Count with Me (Nancy Paulsen Books/Penguin, 2017) was a counting and seasons book, Raindrops to Rainbow is a “color” book. Various colors are highlighted throughout the text, culminating in rainbow colors near the end. Charlene Chua’s lively, bright illustrations, featuring an adorable little girl and her Welsh Corgi, provide the perfect complement to the text. Here is the book’s page on the Penguin website: Raindrops to Rainbow by John Micklos, Jr.: 9780593224090 | PenguinRandomHouse.com: Books.

I am excited to be part of the Penguin Workshop line-up. Their books include Dolly Parton’s Coat of Many Colors, Eric Carle’s Love from The Very Hungry Caterpillar, and Henry Winkler’s Here’s Hank series, to name just a few. I will post further updates as the publication date for Raindrops to Rainbow draws closer.

I’m also planning to launch a brief author newsletter soon. The newsletter will contain news about my writing, a list of upcoming events (school visits and appearances), writing tips, and more. Sign up to receive the newsletter by sending an email to me at jjmj197@comcast.net.  

Best wishes for a “rainbow year” for all of us in 2021!